Indo-European Lexicon
PIE Etymon and IE Reflexes
Below we display: a Proto-Indo-European (PIE) etymon adapted from Pokorny, with our own English gloss; our Semantic Field assignment(s) for the etymon, linked to information about the field(s); an optional Comment; and Reflexes (derived words) in various Indo-European languages, organized by family/group in west-to-east order where Germanic is split into West/North/East families and English, our language of primary emphasis, is artificially separated from West Germanic. IE Reflexes appear most often as single words with any optional letter(s) enclosed in parentheses; but alternative full spellings are separated by '/' and "principal parts" appear in a standard order (e.g. masculine, feminine, and neuter forms) separated by commas.
Reflexes are annotated with: Part-of-Speech and/or other Grammatical feature(s); a short Gloss which, especially for modern English reflexes, may be confined to the oldest sense; and some Source citation(s) with 'LRC' always understood as editor. Keys to PoS/Gram feature abbreviations and Source codes appear below the reflexes; at the end are links to the previous/next etyma [in Pokorny's alphabetic order] that have reflexes.
All reflex pages are currently under active construction; as time goes on, corrections may be made and/or more etyma & reflexes may be added.
Pokorny Etymon: 2. g̑en-, g̑enə-, g̑nē-, g̑nō- 'to ken, know, recognize'
Semantic Field(s): to Know
Indo-European Reflexes:
Family/Language | Reflex(es) | PoS/Gram. | Gloss | Source(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Celtic | ||||
Old Irish: | ad-gninim | vb | to know, recognize | LRC |
gnāth | vb.ptc | known | GED | |
English | ||||
Old English: | can | vb.1/3.sg | know(s) | W7 |
cēne, cȳne | adj | keen, bold, brave | ASD/OED | |
cennan | vb | to ken, make known | W7 | |
cnāwan, cnēow, cnēowon, cnāwen | vb.str | to know, recognize, understand | GED/RPN | |
cunnan | vb | to know, be able (to) | GED | |
cūþ | adj | known, familiar | GED | |
cȳðan | vb.wk | to make known | GED | |
oncnāwan, oncnēow, oncnēowon, oncnāwen | vb.str | to know, recognize, acknowledge | AHD/ASD | |
uncūþ | adj | strange, uncouth, uncertain | ASD/GED | |
Middle English: | aknouen | vb | to know, recognize | AHD |
aquainten | vb | to acquaint | W7 | |
can | vb.1/3.sg | can, know(s) | W7 | |
cognicioun | n | cognition | W7 | |
cointe | adj | quaint | W7 | |
conisaunce | n | cognizance | W7 | |
connen | vb | to know, learn, study | W7 | |
cunnen | vb | to know | W7 | |
cunning | adj | cunning | W7 | |
kene | adj | keen, brave | W7 | |
kennen | vb | to ken | W7 | |
knowen | vb | to know | W7 | |
knowlechen | vb | to acknowledge | W7 | |
knowlege | n | knowledge | W7 | |
noble | adj | noble | W7 | |
noten | vb | to note | W7 | |
notice | n | notice | W7 | |
phisonomie | n | physiognomy | W7 | |
prothonotarie | n | prothonotary | W7 | |
uncouth | adj | uncouth | W7 | |
English: | abnormal | adj | deviating from norm/average | AHD/W7 |
acknowledge | vb.trans | to own/admit knowledge of | AHD/W7 | |
acquaint | vb.trans | to cause to know personally | AHD/W7 | |
agnosia | n | inability to recognize | AHD | |
annotate | vb | to make/furnish critical/explanatory notes/comment | AHD/W7 | |
can | vb.mod | to know, understand, be able | AHD/W7 | |
cognition | n | knowing, including awareness/judgment | AHD/W7 | |
cognizance | n | distinguishing mark/emblem | AHD/W7 | |
con | vb.trans | to peruse, study/examine closely | AHD/W7 | |
connoisseur | n | expert | AHD/W7 | |
connote | vb.trans | to suggest | AHD/W7 | |
couth | adj | refined, polished, sophisticated | AHD/W7 | |
couth | n | refinement, sophistication | AHD | |
cunning | adj | exhibiting skill | AHD/W7 | |
diagnosis | n | act/art of identifying disease from signs/symptoms | AHD/W7 | |
enormous | adj | abnormal, inordinate | AHD/W7 | |
Gnome | prop.n | Deep (wise) Elf in early editions of Tolkien: The Hobbit | LRC | |
gnome | n | maxim, aphorism | AHD/W7 | |
gnomon | n | object serving as indicator by position/length of shadow | AHD/W7 | |
gnosis | n | knowledge of spiritual truth attainable through faith | AHD/W7 | |
Gnostic | prop.n | adherent of Gnosticism (belief that salvation comes through knowledge) | LRC | |
ignorant | adj | not knowing, lacking knowledge/education | AHD | |
ignore | vb.trans | to refuse to notice | AHD/W7 | |
incognito | adv | with concealed identity | AHD/W7 | |
keen | adj | wise, clever; sharp, cutting | OED/W7 | |
ken | vb | to see, know, perceive | AHD/W7 | |
kenning | n | metaphorical phrase used in poetry | AHD/W7 | |
know, knew, known | vb.str | to perceive directly | AHD/W7 | |
knowledge | n | cognizance | AHD/W7 | |
narrate | vb.trans | to relate, recite details | AHD/W7 | |
noble | adj | illustrious, possessing outstanding qualities | AHD/W7 | |
norm | n | model, authoritative standard | AHD/W7 | |
normal | adj | perpendicular | AHD/W7 | |
note | n | song, melody | AHD/W7 | |
note | vb.trans | to notice/observe with care | AHD/W7 | |
notice | n | announcement, warning/intimation of something | AHD/W7 | |
notion | n | inclusive general concept | AHD/W7 | |
notorious | adj | generally known/talked of | AHD/W7 | |
pathognomonic | adj | distinctively characteristic of particular disease | AHD/W7 | |
physiognomy | n | art of discovering character/temperament from outward appearance | AHD/W7 | |
prognosis | n | prospect of recovery anticipated from usual disease course/peculiarities of case | AHD/W7 | |
prothonotary | n | chief clerk of court of law | AHD/W7 | |
quaint | adj | skilled, expert | AHD/W7 | |
recognize | vb.trans | to perceive as something previously known | AHD/W7 | |
reconnaissance | n | preliminary survey | AHD/W7 | |
reconnoiter | vb | to make preliminary survey | AHD/W7 | |
uncouth | adj | rare, uncommon, unknown/unfamiliar | AHD/W7 | |
British English: | recognise | vb.trans | to recognize | LRC |
West Germanic | ||||
Old Frisian: | kētha | vb.wk | to make known | GED |
kunna | vb | to ken, be able (to) | GED | |
kuth, ku(n)d | adj | known | ASD | |
Dutch: | kan | vb.1/3.sg | can | TLL |
kennen | vb | to ken | ASD | |
koen | adj | keen, bold | ASD | |
kon | vb.pret.1/3.sg | knew, was able | TLL | |
kond | adj | known | ASD | |
kunnen | vb | to be able | TLL | |
Old Saxon: | cūðean | vb.wk | to make known | GED |
kūð | adj | known | GED | |
kunnan | vb | to know, be able (to) | GED | |
Old Low German: | kundan | vb.wk | to make known | GED |
Old High German: | bichnāan | vb | to recognize | W7 |
chnāan | vb | to ken, know | GED | |
chund | adj | known | GED | |
cnuodelen | vb | to indicate recognition | GED | |
kan | vb.1/3.sg | can, am/is able; ken(s), know(s) | W7 | |
knājan | vb | to ken, know | ASD | |
kōn(i), kuon(i) | adj | keen, bold | ASD | |
kund | vb.ptc | known | W7 | |
kunden, kund(j)an | vb.wk | to make known | ASD/GED | |
kunnan | vb | to know, be able (to) | GED | |
kunnēn | vb | to know how, be able | RPN | |
un-kund | adj | strange, unknown | ASD | |
Middle High German: | kennen | vb | to ken | ASD |
küene, kuon | adj | keen, bold | ASD | |
künden | vb | to make known | ASD | |
kunnen | vb | to know, be able (to) | ASD | |
kunt | adj | known | ASD | |
German: | kann | vb.1/3.sg | can, am/is able; know(s) | TLL |
kennen | vb | to ken | ASD | |
können | vb | to know how, be able (to) | ASD | |
kühn | adj | keen, bold | ASD | |
kund | adj | known | ASD | |
künden | vb | to make known | ASD | |
North Germanic | ||||
Old Norse: | kenna | vb | to ken, recognize | W7 |
kenning | n | metaphorical word/phrase (Norse poetry) | W7 | |
knā | vb | to know how, be able | CGo | |
knār | adj | brave, capable | CGo | |
kunna | vb | to know, be able (to) | ASD | |
Old Icelandic: | kunna | vb | to know, understand | GED/RPN |
kunnr, kūþr | adj | known | GED | |
ū-kūðr | adj | unknown | GED | |
Icelandic: | kenna | vb | to ken, teach | ASD |
knā | vb | to know | ASD | |
kunnr, kuðr | adj | known | ASD | |
kynna | vb | to make known | ASD | |
ū-kunnr | adj | unknown | ASD | |
Danish: | kan | vb.1/3.sg | can, am/is able | TLL |
kunne | vb | to be able | TLL | |
kynde | vb | to make known | ASD | |
Swedish: | kan | vb.1/3.sg | can, am/is able | TLL |
kunna | vb | to make known | ASD | |
East Germanic | ||||
Gothic: | *fra-kunþs | adj | despised | GED |
ga-kunnan | vb | to subject (someone) | GED | |
kannjan | vb | to make known | RPN | |
kunnan | vb.ptpr.III | to know | GED | |
kunþi | n.str.neut | knowledge | LRC | |
kunþjan | vb | to make known | ASD | |
kunþs | adj/n | known; acquaintance | LRC | |
swi-kunþs | adj | manifest | GED | |
uf-kunnan | vb | to recognize, experience | GED | |
un-kunþs | adj | strange, unknown | GED | |
Crimean Gothic: | knauen | adj | good | CGo |
Italic | ||||
Latin: | annoto, annotare, annotavi, annotatus | vb | to observe, remark, annotate | W7 |
cognatio, cognationis | n.fem | kindred, blood-relations | LRC | |
cognitio, cognitionis | n.fem | acquaintance with | W7 | |
cognomentum, cognomenti | n.neut | surname | LRC | |
cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitus | vb | to know, become acquainted with | W7 | |
enormis | adj | huge | W7 | |
gnarus | adj | knowing | W7 | |
gnomon | n.neut | judgement, opinion, belief | W7 | |
(g)nosco, (g)noscere, (g)nōvi, (g)nōtum | vb | to know, recognize, become acquainted with | LRC | |
ignarus | adj | ignorant, unknown | W7 | |
īgnōrō, īgnōrāre, īgnōrāvi, īgnōrātum | vb | to ignore, be unknown | LRC | |
ignotus, ignota, ignotum | adj | unknown | LRC | |
incognitus | adj | unknown | W7 | |
narro, narrare, narravi, narratus | vb | to narrate, tell a story | W7 | |
nobilis, nobilis, nobile | adj | famous, noble | LRC | |
nobilitas, nobilitatis | n.fem | renown | LRC | |
norma | n.fem | rule, carpenter's square | W7 | |
normalis | adj | according to the measure | W7 | |
nota | n.fem | mark, note | W7 | |
notarius | n.masc | notary, secretary | W7 | |
notio, notionis | n.fem | faculty of knowing, thing known | W7 | |
notitia, notitiae | n.fem | acquaintance, familiarity, carnal knowledge | LRC | |
noto, notare | vb | to mark, note | W7 | |
recognosco, recognoscere | vb | to recognize | W7 | |
Late Latin: | abnormis | adj | abnormal | AHD |
accognosco, accognoscere, accognovi, accognitus | vb | to know perfectly | W7 | |
gnosticus | adj | Gnostic | W7 | |
normalis | adj | normal | W7 | |
notorium | n.neut | information, indictment | W7 | |
notorius | adj | known | W7 | |
physiognomia, physiognomonia | n.fem | physiognomy | W7 | |
prognosis | n.fem | prognosis, evaluation | W7 | |
protonotarius | n.masc | chief clerk of court of law | W7 | |
Medieval Latin: | accognito, accognitare | vb | to get acquainted | W7 |
adcognito, adcognitare | vb | to acquaint | AHD | |
anormalis | adj | abnormal | W7 | |
connoto, connotare | vb | to connote | W7 | |
notorius | adj | known, famous | W7 | |
New Latin: | diagnosis | n.fem | diagnosis | W7 |
Old French: | acointier | vb | to acquaint | W7 |
cointe | adj.fem | known, familiar, nice | W7 | |
connoisseor | n.masc | connoisseur | W7 | |
connoistre, conoistre | vb | to know | W7 | |
conoissance | n.fem | cognizance, knowledge | W7 | |
noble | adj | noble | W7 | |
noter | vb | to note | W7 | |
Middle French: | notice | n.fem | acquaintance | W7 |
phisonomie | n.fem | physiognomy | W7 | |
reconoissance | n.fem | recognition | W7 | |
reconoistre, reconoiss- | vb | to recognize | W7 | |
French: | anormal | adj | abnormal | W7 |
connaisseur | n.masc | connoisseur | W7 | |
ignorer | vb | to ignore, not know | W7 | |
reconnaissance | n.fem | gratitude, exploration | W7 | |
reconnaître | vb | to recognize | W7 | |
Italian: | incognito | adj/n.masc | unknown (person) | W7 |
Baltic | ||||
Old Prussian: | ersinnat | vb | to recognize | GED |
posinnat | vb | to recognize | LRC | |
Lithuanian: | pa-žìnti | vb | to recognize | GED |
pa-žintìs | n | acquaintance | GED | |
žinóti, žìno, žinójo | vb | to know | LRC | |
Latvian: | zinât | vb | to know | LRC |
Slavic | ||||
Old Church Slavonic: | znamenьje | n.neut | sign | LRC |
znajǫ, znati | vb | to know | GED/RPN | |
Russian: | znatь | vb | to know | LRC |
Albanian | ||||
Albanian: | njoh | vb | to know | GED/RPN |
Hellenic | ||||
Homeric Greek: | ἀγνοέω | vb | to fail to recognize | LRC |
ἀγνώς | adj | unknown | LRC | |
ἄγνωστος | adj | unrecognized, unrecognizable | LRC | |
Greek: | agnōsia | n | ignorance | AHD |
gignōskein | vb | to come to know | W7 | |
γι(γ)νώσκω | vb | to know, learn | LRC | |
gnōmē | n.fem | opinion, knowledge | W7 | |
gnōmonikos | adj | fit to judge | W7 | |
gnōmōn | n.masc | interpreter | W7 | |
γνῶσις | n.fem | knowledge | LRC | |
gnōstikos | adj | of knowledge | W7 | |
γνωτός | vb.past.pass.ptc | known, perceived | GED/RPN | |
διαγιγνώσκω | vb | to discern, distinguish | LRC | |
diagnōsis | n.fem | diagnosis | W7 | |
ἔγνων | vb.aor | I understand | RPN | |
pathognōmonikos | adj | distinctively characteristic of a particular disease | W7 | |
progignōskein | vb | to know before | W7 | |
prognōsis | n.fem | foreknowledge | W7 | |
physiognōmonia | n.fem | judgement of character by features | W7 | |
physiognōmōn | adj | judging character by features | W7 | |
Armenian | ||||
Armenian: | an-can | adj | unknown | GED/RPN |
caneay | vb.aor | knew, recognized | GED/RPN | |
Iranian | ||||
Old Persian: | a-dānā | vb.pret.3.sg | he knew | LRC |
Avestan: | ā-zaintiš | n | information | GED |
zan- | vb | to know | RPN | |
zānāiti | vb | to know | GED | |
Khowar: | noik | vb | to appear, become visible | RPN |
Indic | ||||
Sanskrit: | jānā́ti | vb | to know, recognize, have knowledge | GED/RPN |
jñātáḥ | vb.ptc | known, perceived, acquainted | RPN | |
jñā-tí-ḥ | n | knowledge | RPN | |
jñātram | n | capability of recognizing | GED | |
jñāyante | vb.3.pl | they know | GED | |
Tocharian | ||||
Tocharian: | knā- | vb | to know, recognize | GED |
Tocharian B: | a-knātsa | adj | unknown | RPN |
Tocharian A: | ā-knats | adj | unknown; ignorant | RPN |
kña- | vb | to be acquainted with | RPN | |
knān- | vb | to know, recognize | RPN |
Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:
Abbrev. | Meaning | |
---|---|---|
1 | = | 1st person |
3 | = | 3rd person |
III | = | class 3 |
adj | = | adjective |
adv | = | adverb(ial) |
aor | = | aorist (tense) |
fem | = | feminine (gender) |
masc | = | masculine (gender) |
mod | = | modal |
n | = | noun |
neut | = | neuter (gender) |
pass | = | passive (voice) |
past | = | past (tense) |
pl | = | plural (number) |
pret | = | preterite (tense) |
prop | = | proper |
ptc | = | participle |
ptpr | = | preterite-present (verb) |
sg | = | singular (number) |
str | = | strong (inflection) |
trans | = | transitive |
vb | = | verb |
wk | = | weak (inflection) |
Key to information Source codes (always with 'LRC' as editor):
Code | Citation | |
---|---|---|
AHD | = | Calvert Watkins: The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, 2nd ed. (2000) |
ASD | = | Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller: An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898) |
CGo | = | MacDonald Stearns, Jr: Crimean Gothic (1978) |
GED | = | Winfred P. Lehmann: A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (1986) |
LRC | = | Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin |
OED | = | James A.H. Murray et al: The Oxford English Dictionary (1933) |
RPN | = | Allan R. Bomhard: Reconstructing Proto-Nostratic (2002) |
TLL | = | Frederick Bodmer: The Loom of Language (1944) |
W7 | = | Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1963) |